Saturday, May 29, 2010

It's always fun to mix it up and today, I really played up the masculine/feminine. Loved the contrast between my printed dress with a BIG bow, feminine crochet cardigan, rugged ankle booties, a jeweled head wrap, and even a chunky utility watch. It rained this afternoon so I loved the backdrop of the leaf and seed sprinkled sidewalk and the hyper green color of the grass. See, even nature can mix it up!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Since today marks the 3 year anniversary of my mother's passing, I decided to celebrate her and show the world just how fashionable of a gal she was. I found images from 1965-1988, the best years of her fashion life.

Love the cat eye glasses, above ankle socks, and pointy MJ's.

Totally geek chic here. Not to mention an adorable bob with side-sweep bangs!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

I thought it would be super fun today to wear a "crown" today so I twisted up one of my grandmother's vintage necklaces and pinned it into my hair. I felt even more sparkly with my gypsy skirt and dangle ring. Who knew aqua and lime green could be so fun?

Monday, May 24, 2010

Typical girl I am, always saying that I have nothing to wear when I'm standing in front of my closet. But what I'm really great at, besides complaining about my wardrobe shortcomings, is my ability to rework a piece of clothing into a bunch of different looks. So this week, I have decided to share how to rework your favorite dress in your closet to create a new, unique look every time.

The piece I chose was my favorite little black dress. This dress is so versatile as it can be dressed down or up and mixed and matched with various accessories. My basic tip for reworking an item in your closet is layering. The unique thing about dresses is that you can layer things over them, under them, and pile on the accessories.

One of favorite things to do with a dress is to layer a tank or t-shirt over it. This gives the affect that it is a skirt or that the shirt is part of the dress. It also gives a dress a pattern that it didn't normally contain. Adding a belt in this ensemble helps, as sometimes the layering affect may add bulk in areas you don't necessarily want it. So cinch it in with a belt and play around with different tops to layer over your dresses!

You can also add a skirt or slip under your dress. This is great for a couple of reasons. It adds length so shorter dresses can be worn in a more formal setting such as work or party. Also, it helps to add a print or color in a subtle way. And, it can add a little sex appeal as lace is definitely sexy in a subtle way. You can also add a skirt over a dress to make the top part of the dress appear as a shirt. This was done in my "Layered Day" post back in June 2009.

Lastly, adding a scarf on top of a dress worn with a belt is another great way to add pattern. It can give the dress a whole new look in either a casual or dressy way.

So don't be afraid to layer on or under items to rework your favorite dress. You can come up with fun and unique combos that will really turn some heads!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

With the ever-growing influence of the 80s in fashion, I've been seeing countless adaptations of the modernized denim jacket. There are several ways in incorporate your old denim pieces into your daily ensemble in a cool-updated way.

1. The Head to Toe ( I call it the suit)-Can only be achieved if the top and bottom are different shades of blue. My suggestion is to wear darker denim on the bottom to slim your silhouette and then lighter on the top.

2. Unexpected Denim-I've spotted numerous pieces made with denim lately. The full A-line skirt, converse or other sneakers, and denim trouser pants. This gives a casual feel without wearing typical jeans. And, a way to wear denim in the workplace without looking too casual.

3. Mixing and Matching-I've chosen this route. Denim can mixed with dressy pieces that give a fresh face lift. I chose to dig out my denim jacket and pair it with a flirty skirt. Even my shoes are made with a striped denim to really mix up the dressy with casual.

So don't fear, you can still wear your old denim pieces you've been keeping in the back of your closet and now, you know how to mix it up and make it cool again!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Today's runway is brought to you by the huge tree in my front yard. Perfect, as it actually goes with my outfit! I was told today by numerous people that I look like a 70's flower child. Most likely due to the flower belt I actually decided to wear as a headwrap today. I also layered a bunch of my Mom and Grandma's necklaces with flower and rosette motifs and paired it with my "prairie print" dress and lace cardigan. I felt a lot more connected to earth today, not just because of my ensemble, but the extended hours of sun and warm weather. I even decided to end my day with a run with my sister. What a great day :)

Sunday, May 16, 2010

It wasn't until pretty recently that I decided to try to extend the time between washing my hair. There are many benefits, such as, less time used on styling, better styling (oily hair curls best!), and less haircuts a year. The last time I went for a haircut, my stylist actually said my hair looked great (from the last time she saw me, which was 6 months prior) and wanted to know what I had been doing differently.

Lately, I've been going about 3 1/2 days between washes only washing my hair twice a week. There are still things I'm trying but I wanted to share with you the simple steps of extending the time between your hair washes, especially those with long hair like me!

Tip #1: Use a shampoo for dry scalps. I use Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Oil Shampoo as it clears dandruff and prevents itching without the nasty smell of T-Gel.

Tip #2: When conditioning, only use on the ends of your hair. This will make your scalp less greasy for the days to come. I use a moisturizing conditioner since I naturally have curly hair.

Tip #3: Avoid using hair products such as serums and gels that will add build-up and grease on the first day. Styling products may need to be used on day 2 or 3 to give a little volume and lift but use sparingly!

Tip #4: Try using a dry shampoo or powder. I recently upgraded to the TRESemme Dry Spray Shampoo from baby powder. It's great because it's only $5 and it smells wonderful (not like a baby's bottom!). I also read about another powder called the All-Nighter Styling Powder that comes in different colors specified for your hair and smells like tangerine. Any of these would do to take the greasy/wet look out of your hair.

Tip #5: If all else fails, try braiding your hair. I tried a fishtail for the first, thanks to fellow blogger, Lisa Fergus, and I think it turned out pretty well. Interesting braids will definitely distract anyone from looking at your greasy strands for another day!

So give it a try. It definitely saves time and improves your hair and scalp's health. What's better than that?

Monday, May 10, 2010

Today's runway is brought to you by my backyard and all of the crazy weeds/plants growing in the trees. Luck for me, I found a really pretty purple orchid flower as an accessory! But the best accessory today has to go to my hot pink socks I decided to wear with my Vince Camuto open-toed stilettos.

I've been seeing a lot of socks being paired with strappy sandals lately in editorials and runway and think it's simply perfect for this spring's unpredictable weather (plus, it's also great when you forget to paint your toes!). And, depending how you wear it, it gives your ensemble an overall preppy or girly feeling, which is super fun!

I like it best to wear a bright color paired with neutral shoes to give a pop of color (or in my case, even more color!).

Dress is from H&M two years ago, but the sweetheart neckline is timeless, AND naturally shapes your bust line. What's better than that?

Saturday, May 8, 2010

So I don't have a runway today, I decided to pose a little in my living room. Today's overall look is inspired today by a little Greek goddess influence with gold studding and jewelry and a beautiful feather head piece.

Today is the final day (day 6) of wearing my Matchstick jeans before washing them. That's a pretty good run of not getting stretched and looking saggy all over. Can't wait to buy more!

The feather headband is one of my favorite's Similar item can be found at your local Claire's store!!!

This is my Greek goddess pose. Not really sure why but I felt like it fit.

Super high cork wedge sandals are my favorite shoes so far this summer. They can casual and dressy and are super comfortable for my bad feet.

My Lovely Readers

about me

Want to learn about some secret style weapons? Well, look no further! I've been in love with fashion since I could dress my Barbie's. Now that I'm working in the fashion industry, my love for fashion has truly become passionate. My style is eclectic, quirky, and most of time, unexpected...just the way I like it and now, I want to share it with the world in Fashion Ammo.